Mine
by PineappleBuddy19
Summary: Tori promised herself she would never depend on anyone, but when Tori's secret threatens to overtake her, she may have to learn that logic and reason go out the window when love is involved.
1. Chapter 1

Her hair, the color of a freshly brewed coffee, cascaded down her back in silky waves like a waterfall. Her skin, smooth and creamy, a natural tan that made her face almost glow. The girl's eyes were a beautiful brown, a milk chocolate type of brown that, upon further inspection, had flecks of gold that made her eyes shine. It were these same wide eyes that kept flickering around the half empty cafe, as if looking for signs of danger. But eventually they would focus back down on her open binder on the table in front of her, where she would continue to scribble furiously, as if whatever thought she had would vanish if she didn't get it out quickly enough.  
It was this same girl that Beck was now watching from the entrance, fascinated. But eventually, he knew that he had to go up to her, so he took a deep breath and walked towards the girl. Almost as if she could sense him walk towards her, she looked up from her writing to see the young man approach her. Once he got to her table, he smiled gently, taking a seat on the chair across from her.

"Hey. It's Tori, right?"

She nodded mutely, staring at him warily, as if he would pounce on her in any second. Frowning at her nervousness, he held out his hand and said," My name is Beck. Beck Oliver."  
Tori flinched slightly when Beck held his hand out. So slightly that he thought he might have imagined it. Eventually, Tori hesitantly grabbed his hand for a handshake, ever so gently. "Everyone knows who you are," she said, and she withdrew her hand again, settling it right back down besides her. Beck smiled brightly, raising an eyebrow in amusement. "Well, I guess you can say that."  
Tori smiled shyly back at him. Looking back down at the table, she grabbed a red folder and opened it, taking out a piece of paper. "This is the handout that gave us. We should use it as a guideline for our project."  
Beck nodded, looking down at the table, impressed at how neat Tori kept everything. Looking back up at her, he smiled and said, "Let's get to work then," he said.  
Beck and Tori were partners assigned together for an English Class project. They had to choose two contrasting songs by different artists and analyze them both. Tori thought it was amazing how two people could go to the same class for two years and not notice each other. But of course, no one noticed her.  
They continued working for a while, ordering coffee after coffee, until eventually they realized that the cafe was closing. "Hey, it's getting late," Beck noticed, looking out towards the inky black night. Tori nodded, starting to put everything away. Between the shuffling of papers, she didn't notice Beck get up from her seat and walk closer to her until he was right next to her and he laid a hand on her shoulder gently.

Tori recoiled wildly, slamming her elbow against the edge of the table roughly. Beck stepped back immediately, holding up both of his hands, shock clear in his deep brown eyes. "Hey! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he exclaimed quickly, trying to calm down the frightened girl.  
Tori nodded, releasing a shaky breath she didn't know she was holding. It took several moments for her wild heartbeat to slow down to a steadier pace, and Beck waited patiently. Finally, Tori looked up at him, smiling apologetically and shaking her head as if ashamed of her behavior. "I am...so sorry. I have a tendency of overreacting sometimes," giving him a rueful smile, she swallowed the lump in her throat, resisting the urge to wince as pain shot through her arm where she had hurt herself with the table. She looked back down at the table, trying to avoid looking at Beck any longer than she had to.  
Beck, however, continued to stare at her in front of him with alarm, his own heart thumping in his chest. Looking around the empty Cafe, the only person left was the thick set man behind the counter who kept shooting the two teens disapproving looks while wiping down the marble counter.

"Hey, we should really get going now. That guy keeps shooting us dirty looks."

Tori looked up at him nodded, packing up quicker. Beck finally relaxed again, loosening up his tense body. He slowly walked towards the round table to help Tori pick up her papers, trying not to scare her again. Once they were both packed up, Tori stood up from her seat, stretching out her body with ease. She slung her bag across her body, and walked next to Beck towards the door.  
Beck reached out and opened the door, ever the gentleman, and held it open for Tori.

"Why thank you kind sir," joked Tori, a smirk on her lips. Beck laughed, a carefree laugh that made Tori want to join in as well, but she simply smiled at him and walked out, Beck close behind.  
The cold air slapped Tori across the face, and she shivered instantly, goose bumps rising up her thin arms. Beck frowned, disturbed by the picture of a cold, shivering girl standing before him.

"Hey, don't you have a jacket?" he inquired, shoving his hands into the pockets of his own leather jacket. Tori shook her head softly, and at Beck's questioning gaze, she explained further.

I didn't think I would need it today. It was pretty warm when I left my house."

Beck nodded, but still looked troubled as Tori scanned the area quickly, still shivering slightly. Finally, he sighed and set down his backpack, holding it between his legs. Shrugging off his black, leather jacket, he held it out towards Tori, who was staring at him in disbelief.  
"No! I-I can't take your jacket! Then you would be cold," Tori protested, shaking her head violently. Beck chuckled at her and rolled his eyes.

"Tori, my house is like two blocks away. I'm not going to die of hypothermia in the 7 minutes it will take me to walk home. Take the jacket."

Tori stepped back, protesting some more before Beck cut her off again. "It would be a lot faster if you would just take the jacket. I'm not going to take no for an answer."  
Tori hesitated, contemplating whether or not to take the jacket, when she sighed and reached out, seeming to see the truth in his words. Grabbing the heavy black jacket, she slipped it on quickly, the arms about 6 inches too long for her. Beck snickered at the image before him, watching as Tori tried to push back the sleeves, only to have them fall back down. She looked just plain ridiculous in the jacket, which had to be about three sizes to big.  
Tori shot him an exasperated look, glaring at him, although even she had a difficult time keeping a straight face. "You're laughing!" she said accusingly, wagging a finger at him in mock anger. Beck smiled broadly, a wicked glint in his eyes. "Why, of course I am!" Tori laughed a bright, happy laugh that reminded Beck of Christmas bells.

"Listen, why don't I pick up my jacket tomorrow from your house? Say, 1 o'clock?" Tori's laughter faded away slowly, and Beck stood there, waiting patiently for her answer. He wasn't even sure why he had said that. It just slipped out. But finally, after a long time of awkward silence, Tori nodded slowly, looking at him with cautious eyes once more. "

Sure...that would be fine. Would you...like my address?"

Shocked, Beck nodded his head quickly, running his hand through his thick, dark brown hair and watched as Tori rummaged through her bag, eventually taking out a small piece of scrap paper and a purple pen. Smirking at the odd color, he shook his head softly as she wrote down her home address and shoved the paper at him, sticking the pen back into her bag when he took the paper. "Look, its reaaally late. I have to go," said Tori, backing away slowly. Beck nodded and shot her a warm smile before turning around and walking the opposite directions as the girl. Tori watched him walk away for a couple of seconds before turning around herself and picking up her pace.  
She had just met Beck today, and already his face was burned into her mind. Well, they had met today formally. After all, they've been in the same school for three years now and in the same English class for two. Of course, they had seen each other, maybe even given a polite head nod or wave before going on their way. But then again, everyone knew Beck Oliver, one of the best actors in the school. And also one of the handsomest.  
Tori pulled the jacket closer to her body as a particularly cold breeze blew past her, and the smell of cologne mixed with something else she couldn't pinpoint filled her nostrils, making her close her eyes briefly. But all too soon, she was at her front door, and her smile vanished. Taking a deep breath, she unzipped a side pocket from her bag and fished out her keys, the jangling sound they made cutting through the silence. Fumbling for the right key, she shoved the small metal key into the lock and turned slowly. She placed her hand on the door handle and, taking a deep, shuddery breath, she pushed open the door.

Authors note: Heyyyy, this is my very first multi chapter victorious story. My first one-shot for Victorious didn't come out as well as I hoped, so here I am again, ready to try again. Remember to review!


	2. Chapter 2

The very first thing that Tori noticed when she walked in the house was the smell. Her eyes watered and her hand flew up to her face, shielding her nose from the smell. However, not before the mixed scent Jack Daniels and vomit filled her nostrils, making her throat burn. The next thing she noticed was the mess. Dark colored beer bottles littered the living room, and the honey brown dining table was covered with papers and potato chip bags. Finally, she noticed her father, unconscience and laying in a pool of his own vomit.  
Tori sighed, closing her eyes and wishing that when she opened them, she would see her father, sitting on the red living room sofa, laughing at something he saw in the t.v and greeting her with a warm smile. But she knew that wishing was a waste of time, and when she opened her eyes, nothing had changed.

Sighing again, she shrugged off the too large jacket and placed it gently on the coat rack besides the door, then placed her book bag next to the door, leaning against a wooden bookcase. Closing the door tightly behind her, she locked it and walked towards her father slowly. Taking a lot of care to breathe in through her mouth, she stopped in front of her father, carefull not to get any of vile liquid on her scruffy black sneakers. Crouching down, she reached out her hand slowly and placed it on his shoulder, shaking him gently.

That was all it took to wake him up. He bolted up to a sitting position, his eyes fluttering open. Looking around the lit up apartment, he turned his head slowly to look at Tori.

"W-w-waaaaat haaappen?" he slurred, his breath reeking of alcohol.

Nodding at the nearly empty bottle of Jack that her father was gripping tightly, she said,

"well, you got drunk and passed out. Again."

Tori's dad grinned, his dark hair falling into his eyes.  
"Whyyyy...why does smell it baaaad," he mummbled inconherently, and Tori could only assume that he was wondering about the smell.  
"Well, you threw up. That, and the smell of Jack Daniels and beer doen't make for a very good scent."

* * *

After much coaxing on her part and whinning on his, Tori finally managed to get her father off the floor, cleaned up and tucked into bed snugly, where he conked out as soon as she turned off the lights.  
Once she had changed into her pajama's, she walked downstairs only to be greeted by the disgusting mess her lovely father had left her. Sighing once again, she proceeded to pick up the beer bottles. Once she had done that, she mopped up the floor and cracked open a window, hoping that the rancid smell would soon leave. Opening the kitchen cabinet, she found the bottle of Fabreeze she kept for ocasions like this and sprayed it into the air, releasing the sweet, comforting smell of clean linen, like the pale blue bottle said it would.  
Once she had finished cleaning, she closed the window shut and turned on the t.v., settling into the couch with the quilt her grandmother has sent her. Flipping through the channels, she finally settled on her favorite t.v. show, Psych. She defenitely needed the laughs.

Tori woke to the sound of footsteps thudding down the stairs. Looking around, she felt frightened at first when she didn't see her familiar bedroom, but then relaxed as memories from the previous night flooded back to her.  
"Tori?" she heard the deep voice of her father, shuffling down the stairs at an incredibly slow pace, with what Tori could only imagine was a wicked hangover.  
"

Yeah Dad?" she called out to him, slowly getting off the couch herself. Rubbing her face to wake herself up, she turned lazily towards the staircase.  
Her father was wearing what Tori had nicknamed "The Hangover outfit." He had on a fluffy blue robe that reached only halfway down his legs. Underneath, he was clad in a large white t-shirt and dark grap sweatpants. Tori smiled sadly, watching as her dad attempted to walk down the stairs with his eyes closed.

"Oh, hey baby. I was just checking to see if you were awake," he managed to say as he finally reached the last step. Tori shook her head in disappointment, but she still walked towards him and helped him reach the dining table.

"Thanks sweetheart. Your sweet," he said slowly, patting her cheek gently. Tori returned the gesture, sitting him down gently and turning towards the stove.

"I'll make us some breakfast," she said, already taking things out of the fridge.

"That would be nice, thank you," her father replied from his seat, dropping his head into his hands.  
Soon, the kitchen was filled with the scent of freshly brewed coffee and scrambled eggs. Serving everything up, she set down a mug of coffee and a plate off eggs for each of them, and they settled into a comfortable silence. But those never last.

"Look, about last night," started her fsther. Tori shook her head, setting her mug down in front of her.

"Save it Dad. I think I've heard all of youe excuses by now."

Tori's dad flinched involuntarily, and he looked up at her with pain in his dark eyes.

"I know, but-"

"But what? You got drunk again last night. And I'm sick and tired of cleaning after your messes!" she snapped, suprising both of them.  
He father looked down at his plate, trying to avoid his daughter's gaze and she sighed. She knew that she should be mad at him - in fact, she should hate him. This had been going on for

years now. She had heard every excuse in the book: I had a rough day at work today. This reminded me of your mother. That reminded me of your sister. They were never ending, always coming at her. She would need five more set of hands and feet to count the number of times he had promised her he would quit. But she had a roof on her head and food in the fridge. She had more than most. And he was her father. After everything they've been through together, she could never hate him.

"I really am sorry Tori," he whispered, still not meeting her gaze. Tori pursed her lips, her heart clenching at the desperate note in his voice.

"I know you are."

* * *

A couple of hours later, she was sitting on the couch, waiting for Beck to come pick up his jacket. She had purposely left on her pajama's, not wanting to dress up and send him the wrong idea. Finally, the door bell rang, and she had jumped up from her seat, not wanting the loud ring to wake up her father from his nap. Opening the door, the first thing she noticed were his eyes. Deep and mysterious, they stared at her with intensity. Smooth tan skin surrounded them, and his perfect, fluffy brown hair looked just right. Perfect? Since when has she described hair as "perfect"? Shaking her head, she smiled at him, not wanting to come across as rude.

"Hey," she said casually. He was leaning against the door frame, smiling back at her crookedly.

"Hey too you to," he said, standing breathed deeply and grabbed the leather jacket from its spot on the coat rack, shoving it out towards him.

"Here."

Beck frowned, surprised by her sudden rudeness.  
"Whoa! What's the rush?" he asked, strangely hurt that she would want to get rid of him so quickly. He wasn't that bad to be around, was he?  
Tori saw the hurt in his eyes, and she sighed, torn between being nice and getting him out before her dad woke up. It seemed to her as if she spent most of her day sighing, worrying about everyone else but herself.

"Why don't we work on our project today?" suggested Beck, trying to smooth the awkwardness she had created with her rudeness. Tori bit her lip, quickly going over the pros and cons of going with him before she sighed, defeated.

"Alright, just ... wait here. Let me get dressed."  
Before Beck could answer, she closed the door on him, leaving no room for debate. Rolling his eyes, he wondered why she was acting so strangely. What was she hiding?

* * *

Tori emerged from her house minutes later clad in a simple black band t-shirt, worn out jeans, and black ballet flats. Beck smiled when he the white sweater hanging on her right arm.

"I thought your sweater was torn?" he asked, and she rolled her eyes at him.  
"This is obviously a different sweater," she replied as if the answer were obvious. Beck rolled his own eyes but said nothing further on the subject.

"Where do you want to go?" she asked, swinging her bookbag across her body, adjusting the strap until she was comfortable with it.

"Why not my house...?" he suggested, trailing off when he saw the look on her face.

"Or we could go back to the cafe?"

Tori nodded, liking that suggestion better.

"Yeah. Let's go there."


	3. Chapter 3

They sat in the same corner booth they were in yesterday, keeping up a light, shallow conversation that they were both comfortable with.

"One pumpkin pie with a glass of milk and one chocolate chip muffin with a glass of water," said the waitress, standing next to their table, placing the dishes on the table. She was young, 19 or maybe even 20, with bottle blond hair and bright blue eyes that were staring at Beck.

Tori rolled her eyes and smirked as the young woman flipped her hair over her shoulder, placing a hand on Beck's shoulder, much to his surprise.

"Is there ... anything else I could get you?" she drawled, setting the shiny white plate of pumpkin pie in front of him.  
Tori gaped at the blond woman, shocked and quite frankly annoyed by the blatant disregard of her presence. She was about to tell the woman to go do her job when Beck cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable with the attention he was receiving.

"Um...no, nothing else," he said, running a hand through his hair. Tori had to stifled her laugh when the blond ditz frowned, surprised by his rejection. She glanced at Tori, arching a single, perfectly plucked eyebrow at her direction. Rolling her eyes, she scoffed and turned on her heels, stalking off towards the kitchen.  
At this point, Tori couldn't suppress her laughter any longer. Giggling, she threw her head back in laughter as Beck glared at her.

"This is NOT funny," he said sternly, but not even he could stop the twitch of his lips that let her know that he was joking.

"Oh yes. It was," she managed to say. Beck rolled his eyes, shaking his head and chuckling softly.

"Alright, Alright! Now let me eat woman!"

"Eat? Who the hell eats pumpkin pie at 12:30?" Tori scoffed, looking at Beck's thick pie with disbelief.

"It is almost Thanksgiving! I'm simply honoring the great American tradition!" Beck replied defensively, pointing at the pie with his silver fork.  
Tori snorted, breaking off a piece of her own muffin.

"Tradition my ass!"  
Beck laughed loudly, drawing in the disapproving looks of the other customers, much to Tori's humiliation.

"Sorry," Beck staged whispered once he notice the harsh looks they were receiving. Tori shook her head, sighing.  
The two teens resumed their comfortable-yet shallow-conversation, although they couldn't help the awkward silence that would occasionally set around them, making both of them squirm uncomfortably. After all, before the previous night, Beck and Tori had held a grand total of three conversations together, and all of them were held with another mutual friend, such as Cat or Andrè.

"So, are we in agreement over the songs we're choosing?" asked Tori between bites of her muffin. Beck nodded, clearing his throat before speaking.

"We're doing 'The Best Day' by Taylor Swift," Beck scrunched up his nose briefly as he said the name of the famous country singer, "and 'If You Could See Me Now' by The Script."

Tori nodded, flashing Beck a quick smile.

"Yup! I already have a few..."

Tori felt her heart stop beating for a few seconds, only to resume again at thundering speed. Her mouth felt suddenly dry and she struggled to maintain her breath.  
Beck's eyebrows knitted together, perplexed by Tori's sudden mood change. Twisting his body around to see what had made Tori tense up as she had, he watched as a trio of boys entered the Café, completely disrupting the calm environment of the small restaurant.  
They were all around Beck's age, 17, and they were pretty big. The guys on the right and left looked similar, with midnight hair and dark eyes. They were equally tall, but not as tall as they boy in the center of the trio.  
The guy standing in the middle was around the same height as Beck, but that was where any type of comparison stopped. The boy had curly, sandy blond hair, with clear blue eyes and a handful of golden freckles sprinkled across his nose. With the blond hair and those baby blues, he portrayed a picture of a perfect, American boy who could do no wrong. However, the mischievous, hateful glint in his eyes told Beck otherwise, and made him instantly tense up, although he had no concrete reason to. But one glance the boy took in their direction immediately changed that.  
As soon as his eyes landed on Tori, his grin faded and was replaced by a smirk.  
Beck turned again towards Tori, who looked worse than before. All color was drained from her face and she looked as if she were about to throw up her breakfast.

"Tori, do you know this guy?" asked Beck, his voice tight with worry.

Tori nodded gently and she opened her mouth to say something when she was cut off.

"Well well, if it isn't Little Miss Tori Vega! Who would have thought I'd have seen your face again?"

Beck frowned once more as the blond boy from before spoke up, directing his words at them. Walking towards their table, he stopped when he was directly in front of them; the other two boys close behind.  
Beck noticed from the corner of his eyes as Tori flinched back, dropping her gaze to her hands which were resting gently on the table.

"Hello Sammy," mumbled Tori, her voice wavering slightly.

Tori's discomfort only seemed to fuel 'Sammy', his small smirk stretching into a grin.

"Oh Tori! It seems as if you've gotten yourself a boyfriend here! I wonder how long he'll stick around once he finds out what a dirty little slut you are."

Beck snapped his head towards Sammy, shock and anger coursing through his veins. What the hell did this guy say?  
The two boys on either side of Sammy snickered, staring tauntingly at Tori, who simply sat there, a sheet of brown hair covering her face. However, from his seat across from her, Beck could see the single tear that rolled down her smooth cheek. And that was Beck's snapping point.

"What is your problem man?" Beck snapped, standing up swiftly. He clenched his fist tightly, resisting the urge to flat out break that perfect little nose on Sammy's face.  
Sammy stepped back instinctively, eyes wide at Beck's sudden outburst. He wasn't used to people challenging him, Beck could tell that much.

"Whoa man! Chill! We were just playing with the chick!"

"Her name is _Tori_, not 'chick'. You will treat her with respect, like she deserves, you pig," Beck spat through clenched teeth, and it took him all he had not to call him every foulmouthed word he knew. There were kids here, after all.

"No just stop fighting. Please!" he heard Tori's pleading voice beside him.

"And who's going to stop me?" Sammy asked, his voice threatening. Beck matched his tone with a threatening voice of his own.

"Oh, you will respect Tori, and I'll make sure of that."

"Alright Alright! Break it up here," interrupted the man behind the counter, pointing towards the group.

"You three, get out! You cause nothing but trouble you lot!"

After a brief glare at Beck, Sammy retreated, stalking out the door with his twin sidekicks at his heels.  
It took several seconds before Beck could relax his tensed up body. But eventually, he was able to get his breathing back to normal, and he sat down once more in his spot.  
For Tori, however, it wasn't that easy. Her racing heartbeat refused to slow down, and she couldn't hold back a few stray tears that slid down her face, leaving streaks on her rosy cheeks.  
Beck noticed this and he felt his heart tear in his chest at the sight of the crying girl.

"Oh- no Tori! Don't cry! It'll be okay," Beck exclaimed, trying to reassure the girl.

Tori wiped at her face quickly, as if ashamed of her tears. Once she was sure she had gotten all the tears, she looked up at Beck and gave his a watery smile.

"I'm fine," she whispered, swallowing thickly. She reached out for the glass of water, bringing it up to her lips and taking a drink of the cool, refreshing water.  
Beck raised an eyebrow in disbelief, but said nothing further on the subject. Instead, he said, "So, should we go to my house next? I mean, it's technically an R-"

"Actually, I think that I want to go home now," Tori replied quietly, her voice subdued and her smile meek.  
Beck frowned, his chestnut eyes staring at her with concern.

"You sure?"

At her nod, Beck said, "well, at least let me walk you. I'll feel better once I know you're at your hose safe instead of being cornered by those assholes."

Tori's first instinct was to brush off his concern, to decline his offer. But at the thought of Sammy and his gang waiting for her-however unlikely- she shivered.  
So instead, Tori simply nodded, shooting Beck a grateful look.

"I would appreciate that."

* * *

A/N: More secrets that Miss Tori Vega is hiding. Can anyone guess what Tori's history is with those guys? If you can, I'll give you a shout out next chapter.  
And speaking of shout outs I would like to give one to Miss hopefaith23! She has been an awesome supporter, and you should all check out her amazing story "A little Different!"Warning! Side effects may include: Extreme addiction to story, a lot of laughing, having your mind blown and much more. Be sure to check it out. AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW THIS STORY! Me love these amazing reviews!


	4. Chapter 4

That night, Tori curled up into a small corner of her bed. Squeezing her eyes shut, she allowed her mind to roam while she layed in bed, surrounded by the pillows and blankets she had organized as a barrier to the outside world, where she knew she was as safe as she would ever be.  
Tori didn't even attempt to hold back the tears that streamed down her face as she thought about what happened at the dinner.  
At that moment, Tori just knew that her shaky, unstable life was about to implode around her. Tori just had a feeling.  
A horrible sense of déjà vu washed over her, and she bite back the scream that was bubbling in her throat, threatening to come out.  
Tori remembered with perfect clarity the last time she had a feeling like this.

* * *

It was August 12th, 2005. Tori had just turned 10, and her older sister Trina was eleven. That day was hot and muggy, and she remembered how her mother had suggested they all go out. Her father was unable to go, due to a large amount of police reports he had yet to file. Both of her parents broke out into a huge argument, one that lasted for exactly 2 hours and 13 minutes, that consisted of yelling, slamming, stomping and even shoving on her mom's part.  
Both Trina and Tori sat in the living room couch where their mother had left them. Trina put her sparkly pink headphones on, blasting the music so loud that Tori could hear it from the other end of the couch. Tori, however, had nothing to block out the noise of yelling and cursing. So she simply closed her eyes and began humming to herself, occasionally singing.  
Finally, her mother came down the stairs. Tori remembered how red her eyes were, and how quiet she was. She remembered how she had acted as if everything was fine, and she took the girls out to the park and then to eat ice cream.  
Looking back, Tori could see the small warning signs. The way her mother would stare so intently at her. The way her mother would occasionally call her over to simply stroke her hair or give her a hug.  
At first, Tori had brushed it off. She just wanted to play tag with her sister. But as the day wore on, she started noticing how her mother never asked Trina to come over. Only her. And that's when she started having the feeling that something bad was going to happen. It started in the pit of her stomach, reaching up to wrap around her heart.  
That night, her mom tucked her and Trina into bed in their shared bedroom. Like always, she kissed them both goodnight. But this time, she lingered near Tori's bed and whispered to her,

"You know I'll always be with you, right?"

Tori nodded slowly, not quite sure what was going on.

"Just remember that I love you baby. I always have, and I'll always will. Do you understand?"

Tori nodded once more, hesitating before whispering, "I love you to Mommy."

Tori's mom smiled, her eyes watering slightly. Leaning over, she wrapped Tori up on her arms, and Tori inhaled the scent. Clean linen and lilacs.  
The next morning, Tori woke up bright and early. Stretching out in her warm bed, she prolonged the moment where she had to open her eyes for as long as she could until she couldn't deny her hunger any longer.  
Opening her eyes, she shielded her eyes from the sunlight that streamed through the blinds. She turned her head towards Trina's bed.

"Hey Trina, do you think Mom made panc-"

She stopped when she saw her sister's bed empty. It wasn't even made, which is what scared Tori the most. Her sister ALWAYS made her bed.  
Getting out of bed, she walked slowly around her bed and walked out the door, which was wide open. The house was dark and quiet, which unnerved her. She didn't hear the usual sound of her mother singing while making breakfast. No aroma of the delicious pancakes her mom makes every Saturday. Just...silence.  
Tori made her way down the grand wooden staircase, her bare feet making no noise on the cold hard floor. She felt her heart drop to her stomach when she reached the last step and her eyes landed on her father. He as standing in front of the kitchen counter, his shoulder's hunched and his back towards her. From her spot on the staircase, se could see that he was holding a pice of paper in his hands, and she could see his tears dripping on the page.

"Daddy?" she asked quietly, fear washing over her. Her skinny legs trembled slightly, and she held her breath as her father turned around slowly.

His eyes were puffy and red, and his tear-stained faced looked worn out. His hair was ruffled up, as if he had run his hand through it one too many times.

"Tori?" he asked hesitantly, almost as if didn't believe she were there.

Tori swallowed thickly, her throat suddenly as dry as the desert.

"Daddy...where's Mommy?"

Tori had the sudden urge to cry, and at that moment, she didn't care that she was 10. She didn't care that she was too old to call her parents 'Mommy and Daddy', or that she was a big girl and too old to cry. All she wanted was to be in both her parents arms, next to Trina.

"Baby...honey, your mom...is gone," his voice broke on the last note, and he rushed towards her, releasing the paper in his hands at the last second.  
He wrapped little Tori up in his arms, crushing her in a tight embrace. Tori wanted to ask for moe details, but the her eyes landed on the pice of paper. Squinting, she struggled to make out what it said when she gasped. Her breath hitched, and she struggled to fight back the tears that were threatening to overwhelm her. She could literally feel her heart rip in two pieces, and she finally realized that the term 'breaking heart, was not a metaphor.  
On the paper, in her mother's neat, beautiful cursive read the words,

"Sweetheart,  
I can't take this anymore. You know I love you and Tori more than anything, but I just can't. I don't know what I'll do if I stay. This isn't the life I dreamed about. I took Trina with me. Tell Tori I love her, and give her a kiss and a hug for me. Please take care of her. I love you both,  
Holly."

* * *

Tori came back from her memory with a start when she felt her warm tears streaking down her face. Sniffling slightly, she wiped her tears away quickly and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. And while it worked, she couldn't get rid of the dull thumping right behind her left eyebrow.  
She sighed for what felt like the billionth time that day. Pulling her white teddy bear close-which she just couldn't bear to part with-she bit her bottom lip as Beck's face came to mind.  
Beck.  
She knew that she was being silly. By now, he must've guessed she was hiding something. She couldn't even begin to imagine what he thought of her now, after their encounter with her ex-boyfriend earlier that day. Heat flooded her eyebrow at the memory of Beck defending her. Why would he do that? Although they have had a couple of conversations before, they only just really met the other day. So why would he defend her like that?

* * *

Beck groaned as he read the glowing green numbers on his digital clock on his nightstand. 2:47 a.m.  
Rubbing his eye, he covered his face with his hands as Tori's face entered his mind again.  
Tori.  
He didn't understand why he was thinking about her so much. It's not as if they were best friends. He barely knew her for God's sake! He couldn't understand his muddled feelings or thought. Heck, he was still wondering why he had defended her like he did earlier that day. It wasn't any of his business anyways. All he knew was that Tori confused him. He added that to the list of things he had to worry about daily.  
Beck rolled over and closed his eyes, drifting away from the nightmare that was reality.

* * *

Author's note: Oooh, now young Beck is hiding something! And a few of you guys were somewhat right in your guesses about Tori's odd relationship with Sammy. But of course, there's more. Next chapter, I'll introduce some new character's, as well as a twist... stay tuned. :)


	5. Chapter 5

Tori felt her eyelides droop as she leaned against her locker on Monday morning. She yawned, and she groaned silently. She hadn't gotten much sleep the previous night, and to make things worse, she had three tests that day.

"Tori! Ohmygod HI!"

Tori's eyes snapped open in time to see the short, bubbly redhead charging her way. Sticking her arms out, she managed to stop the girl just in time before she crashed into her.

"Hi Cat," Tori said, managing to give her friend a smile.  
She turned back towards her locker and opened it, rummaging around for her books.  
Cat stared at Tori with wide, brown eyes, twirling a strand of red hair around her finger.

"Why didn't you tell me you and Beck are dating?"

Tori whirled around to face Cat, her eyes wide making Cat jump back in surprise.

"What did you say?!"

Cat frowned, confusion clouding her eyes.

"Um...that you and Beck are going out."

Tori released a strangled sound, and she ran her hand through her hair in panic.

"Cat, were on earth did you hear that?"

Cat blinked back at Tori, shifting from foot to foot.

"Hey, why do they call Jolly Ranchers jolly? Who ever said the ranchers were jolly?"

Tori shook her head, waving her hands around in exasperation.

"Cat!"

Cat stared at her, cocking her head to the side.

"What-y?"

"Where did you hear that me and Beck were dating?"

"Everyone is saying it. Supposedly Carla from spanish saw you two on a date Saturday night at a Cafe."

Tori's eyes widened, and she covered her eyes with her hands.

"Caaat! That wasn't a date! We were working on a project!"

Cat waggled her eyebrows comically, and gave Tori an exagerated wink.

"Suuureee. I get it. Just 'working on a project'. We'll go with that."

Tori was about to protest when Cat abruptly turned on her heels and skipped away happily, humming a sweet tune.  
Tori, however, was defenitely not in a jolly mood. With a sigh, se leaned back against her locker, placing her hands over her face.

"You look tired."

Tori snpped her head back, slamming it against the metal locker.

"Aaah," she groaned, bringing her hand up to rub her head.  
Beck snickered, raising an eyebrow in amusement.

"Wow. Tired and Jumpy. You're just a mess."

Tori shot him a glare, biting back a smile.

"Did you hear?" she asked, a frown on her face.

"That we're dating? Yeah, I heard. Would have been nice to know earlier though."

Tori stared at him, disbelief clear on her face.

"Look, Beck, I did NOT start that rumor! I know you must think that I-"

"Tori, it's cool!" Beck inturrupted, placing a hand on her arm to calm her down. He waited for her to flinch, but she instead seemed to relax. Smiling softly, he went on. "I know you didn't start that rumor. And it's cool anyways. This whole thing will blow over eventually. Just relax."  
Tori nodded, taking a deep breath. Giving him a small smile, she lightly punched him in the arm.

"Yeah, well my head probably has a bump because of you."

Beck laughed, and he patted her head gently.  
"Oh, you'll be fine!"  
Smiling, Tori began walking slowly towards her class, Beck walking besides her.  
"Hey, are we going to work on the project again tonight? We could work at my house," Beck offered casually. Tori felt her heart falter a bit, but she was a master at the pker face. Giving a slow nod, she managed to say, "sure. That sounds...great

* * *

AN: Hey, sorry for the short chapter! I just thought a short chapter was better than no chapter, so here you go! I don't normally update in the middle of the week, but I'm feeling generous today :)

Don't forget to review!


	6. Chapter 6

The rest of the day wasn't any better than her morning. Whispers followed Tori everywhere she went. Whenever she turned, the whispers would stop, and people would suddenly become fascinated with their shoes or the gum stuck on the floor.  
For Tori-someone who absolutely hated attention unless she was performing-it was pure torture. She had sported an everlasting blush since first period, and she avoided eye contact with everyone who wasn't Cat or André or Trina or Robbie or Jade. And as if that wasn't enough, she kept getting glares from every single girl in the building. Even some of the female teachers would give her rude remarks or eyerolls. It was ridiculous! And by the end of the day, Tori had had enough.  
At her locker that afternoon, she felt a tap on her shoulder, and she snapped, her patience having run out hours ago.

"I don't care how hot you think Beck is! Just leave me the-"

"Whoa! Chill out girl! I don't think Beck is hot at all!" She heard the smooth, deep voice of her best friend, André. She imediatly felt bad, and as she trned to face him, she rubbed her hand over her eyes, tired.

"Oh, André. I'm sorry. It's just that-"

"Yeah, I know. It's cool. But hey, now that you're dating my boy Beck, you think you don't get to give me a hug? " he joked, and Tori smacked his arm in annoyance. But she didn't put up any resistance as André pulled her close, wrapping her in his arms. Tori smiled as she breathed in his scent, an amazing smelling cologne that was rich and deep.

"mmchmm" she heard someone clear their throat besides them, and she pulled away to see Beck, looking quite uncomfortable.

"Hey man! What's up?" said André with a smile, reaching out to clap Beck's hand. Beck smiled back stifly, his eyes tight. He crossed his arms and glanced at Tori, and she could see he was clearly upset. What was his deal?

"Are you ready to go?" he asked her, and it took Tori a moment to remember.

"Oh! Um, right, of course! Yeah, let's go!" she gave him a warm smile, trying to ease his discomfort. However, Beck simply nodded, turning on his heels and stalking out the door.

"What was that all about?" whispered André, clearly just as confused as she was.

"No idea..." she murmured, slinging her bag on her shoulder. With a hasty goodbye to her best friend, she slammed the door of her locker shut and ran to catch up with Beck.

* * *

"I know it's not much..." trailed off Beck, closing the door to his RV behind him.  
Tori smiled, looking around the small RV. There was a neatly made bed against a wall that had a huge, darkly tinted window. On the wall right across, he had set up a small, wooden desk that held paperes and books. He had a small, poorly lit aquariam on the farthest wall, and there were a couple of magazines and books scatered here and there.

"No...I like it. It's...cozy."

Beck smiled, pleased by her choice of words.

"That's one way of putting it."

Walking past Tori, he threw himself on the bed, patting the spot besides him.

"Relax. Mi casa es su casa."

Tori scrunched up her nose while sitting down next to him, resisting the urge to smile.

"Being part Puerto Rican, I have to say, you're accent is horribe."

Beck burst out laughing, making the bed shake with him. Tori smiled and took out her books.

"Now. Let's get to work."

* * *

After working for about an hour and a half straight, they decided to take a break. However, after about a day and a half, Beck couldn't resist the urge to ask the burning question that's been on his mind.

"Sooo... who was that guy from yesterday...Sammy?"

Tori froze, but she couldn't really say she was surprised. She knew the question was coming sooner or later.  
Pushing her hair behind her ear, she bit her lip, fidling her thumbs nervously. Beck was about to change the subject when she started talking.

"Um..he was my...ex boyfriend."

A million thoughts and questions slammed into Bek's mind, but her bit his lip in order to hold them back. He didn't want to overwelhm her.  
Tori noticed that Beck was confused, so she elaborated.

"We dated for a couple of months before I transfered here. To say our relationship was rocky would be an...understatement. He was very...possesive." Tori laughed bitterly, and Beck frowened, not liking the direction she was heading. He inhaled deeply, trying to keep his questions at bay.  
Tori cracked her knuckles, trying to calm herself. This was more than she'd ever told anyone. She wasn't even sure why she was telling Beck this. She hadn't even told André, and he was her best friend. But one look at Beck and she felt instantly safe, as if nothing can touch her. Taking a deep breath, she continued with her explanation.

"When he first asked me out, I was flattered. Sure, guys asked me out, but I was shocked that Sammy, the most desireable guy in Sherwood*, had asked ME out.  
"Anyways, for the first couple of months, he was the perfect gentleman. He wouldpull out my chair, he would open the door for me, everything. And I was never used to that kind of attention.  
"But then one night, after going out for about a month, we went to a party. There was beer and all kinds of things that I won't even say. We split up, but eventually we found each other again. And he was drunk. I could tell that much."  
Tori paused, looking up to see how Beck was taking her story so far. Beck's face was smooth, showing no traces of emotion. But his had was trembling slightly, and he kept clenching it into a fist every once in a while. She frowned, debating wondering wether or not if she should continue her story.  
Beck, noticing how she hesitated, gave her a weak smile. A part of him wanted tocover his ears, make her stop her story. He didn't know her all that well, and it shocked him that sfter two days of keeping her guard up, she would let it crumble so easily. But he knew that he couldn't simply ignore her. He had wanted to know, after all. He wouldn't abandon her now.  
Tori took a deep breath to steady herself before continuing her story.

"He dragged me up to a bedroom, said he had to 'show me something'... and well, I guess you don't have to be a brain surgeon to figure out the rest, right?"  
By the end, Tori was shivering slightly, despite the warm temperature in the RV.  
Beck was also shaking, but he was just downright pissed. How dare that...  
Beck took a calming breath, carefull not to show any anger. Instead, he took Tori's thin hands in his, giving them a reassuring squeeze. Lately she'd been a lot more comfortable around him, but he didn't want to push his luck. He still had a thousand questions, but he kept his mouth shut.  
"So," started Tori, shooting him a small, tentative smile. "Now you know something about me... let's hear something about you."


	7. Chapter 7

Beck swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat, his heart picking up speed. No one had ever come righy out and asked him about his life. Everyone else just assumed his life was perfect... everyone except Tori Vega that is.  
Keeping his gaze on their linked hands, he cleared his throat, unsure on how to proceed.

"You don't...um...have too. I understand if you do-"  
"My dad left us," Beck inturrupted, deciding to jump in head first. Tori quieted, listening intently to his story.  
"He found some young, new girl. He left when I was about 12. He packed his bags, took his money and left my mom, flat broke and with a baby on the way.  
'My mom took it pretty hard. Of course, she tried to stay strong for me, but it was hard. She worked double shifts as a waiter, and then as a maid on the weekends. She still does. My dad would send her a check every month. $500. Only with the money he makes, he has enough to suport us and about twelve other familes while still living comfortably.  
'You see, my dad is a very powerfull man at a major corporation. I'm suposed to go visit him every other weekend at his new house. He wants to mold me into being like him. A coldhearted, selfish bastard who leaves his pregnant wife." Beck laughed bitterly, but Tori could feel the waves of pain and anger radiating off of him. Reaching out, she placed her hand on his forearm and squeezed reassuringly.  
Beck looked up and into her warm brown eyes, expecting to see pity. But all he saw was understanding. And that's what drove him to finish his story.

"Um... like I said before, my mother was destroyed. I did all I could to raise money...even a few things I'm not proud of...but at the end, it wasn't enough. She misscariged at 6 months."

Tori swallowed thickly, trying to keep back the tears that were threatening to fall. Her heart broke for the young man sitting in front of her, and for the first time in a long while, she actually felt as if she wasn't alone. But she couldn't help but wonder what those things he wasn't proud of were.

"What happened then?" she asked tentively after a couple of seconds in silence. Beck sighed, not entirely used to opening up to someone.

"At first, it seemed as if she wouldn't survive the pain. But slowly, she came back to me. And now here we are. I'm mandated by the court to see my father and his gold digging whore every other weekend. And my mom is still working like a dog to provide for us."

They stayed in silence for a couple of seconds before Tori said, "Beck, I-"

"I know theres more to your story that what you've let on. And it's fine. We all have our secrets. Even I do. You'll tell me when you're ready. Just now that I'm here whenever you need me, no questions asked."

Tori stayed quiet for a couple of seconds before shooting him a small smile.  
"Thanks."

* * *

Tori opened the door to her house and sighed. The house was empty, since her father worked late. Shutting the door, she placed her bag down on the floor and walked to the kitchen.  
Leaning over the counter, she noticed a pad of post its and picked up a stray ball point pen with black ink. Starting at the bottom, she started to draw the trunk of a tree, pressing lightly on the small yellow paper.  
The phone beside her rang loudly. Not even glancing up from her drawing, she reached out with her free hand and picked up the phone from it's reciever. Pressing it against her ear, she said, "Hello?"

There was a pause on the other end, and Tori frowned, waiting for the person to start talking.

"Yes, is this the Vega residence? Is this Miss Tori Vega?" The voice was deep and stern, and Tori stopped drawing, her frown deepening. Standing straighter, she held the phone tighter against her ear.

"Yes, this is she. May I help you?" she asked politely. Her heart started picking up speed, and she bit down on her lip hard, drawing blood.

"Your father was already informed, and he requested that we call you to let you know...I-I'm deeply sorry to inform you that South Vega has been found dead on November 20th 2012. I offor my condolences..."  
Tori's heart stopped beating for a few seconds, and her breath hitched. She felt the salty tears streaming down her cheeks, and she could hear the man on the phone speaking to her, but her ears had stopped listening.  
Dropping the phone to the floor, she stalked across the house and through the door.

* * *

Beck felt his eyelids droop, and he yawned, stretching his body on his warm, comfortable bed. Rain pattered against his RV, creating a soothing pitter patter.  
A knock on the door sounded through the RV, and Beck groaned, burrowing his face into his pillow. The person knocked again, and Beck finally rolled over on his bed, sitting up.

"Coming!" he shouted, rubbing his hand over his face. Getting up, he walked slowly across his RV and opened his door.

"Tori?!" he exclaimed, shocked. Standing in front of him was a very wet, very upset Tori Vega. The rain was coming down hard against her thin body, and her eyes were red. Her beautifull brown hair was not drenched and sticking against her face.  
She shot him a bitter smile, and he knew at once that she'd been crying, despite the rain making it impossible to see her tears.  
"Hey, um...remember when you said that you were here when I needed you? Well...I kinda need you right now."

* * *

Hey! Sorry for all the typos. No time to fix them, since I'm supposed to be doing homework XD. The next few chapters will be centerd around Beck. I already got to show you guys Tori's problems, and now you guys get to have some insight on his life. Bet you guys can't guess his biggest secret? Shoutouts to:  
CrystalWatersXo  
bade4nevabori4eva (btw, I LOVE your pen name) and  
Furryfriends143.  
These three have consistantly reviewed this story, and I appreciate it. Keep it up :D. And for the rest of you, review! Help me reach my long time dream of 100 reviews on a story! I know, kinda huge, but still! Love ya guys, and don't forget to read Mis hopefaith's story!


	8. Chapter 8

Beck watched in silence as Tori shifted in her sleep, a whimper escaping her lips. He knew that she must've been having a bad dream, but he wasn't sure if he should wake her.

She was curled into a small ball in his bed, his fluffy comforter wrapped around her thin body. One of her long legs peeked out from the comforter, and he could see just how large his old pair of light gray sweat pants fit her.

After she had appeared on his door step, completely drenched, he had let her in and given her his old sweatshirt and sweatpants so she could change out of her wet clothes. It had taken much coaxing and pleading, but finally, Beck had managed to get Tori to explain to him why she was there. Soon after, she had fallen asleep in his bed, and Beck had pulled out his old bean bag chair from his closet and placed it near the bed so he could at least try to sleep. But after a couple of hours, he had given up.

Beck tried to wrap his mind around what Tori had told him. He just couldn't believe that her mother had been found dead. He couldn't even begin to imagine the kind of pain she must be in. Looking over at her, he sighed a breath of relief when he noticed her smooth, calm face, glad that whatever had bothered her in her dream had left her alone.  
He didn't know what was going to happen tomorrow. They both had school the next days, and Tori couldn't simply show up in the still damp and very much wrinkled clothes she had worn yesterday.

Tori groaned, and he glanced up to look at her again. He watched as she stretched out, blinking a couple of times before noticing him next to the bed.

"Hey," she whispered shyly, and he smiled slightly at her sleepy voice.

"Hey sleepy head. Feeling better," he asked lightly, but he couldn't suppress the concern that seeped into his voice. Tori's smile faded, and she simply nodded.

"Y-yeah, I'm...um..I'm fine."

Beck frowned, letting out a sigh.  
"A-are you sure?" he asked slowly, still unsure.  
Tori nodded, shooting him a small smile.  
"

Yeah, I am...My mom left when I was 10, so it's not like I was close to her or anything. Right now, it feels more like a distant aunt...died... and not my own Mom...cruel, right?"

Beck shook his head quickly, his frown deepening.

"Of course it's not cruel. You're just telling the truth. You're mom missed the last seven years of your life. Of course you would feel like this."

Tori just nodded, still unsure. They stayed in silence for a couple of seconds before he asked,

"Do you remember her much?"

Tori stayed silent for a while before shaking her head.

"I spent the last ten years trying to keep her out of my mind. I guess I did too much of a good job. But I do remember some small details. Like how her hands felt when she played with my hair, or how she used to leave the bottle caps just a little bit loose because she prefered her soda flat, or how she used to drink black coffee right before going to bed because she said it made her 'sleepy'..."

Tori's voice got lower and lower until she eventually stopped talking, not sure of how to go from there.  
Beck stared at Tori, his heart breaking for her. He reached out to hold her hand, intertwining their fingers. Tori closed her eyes, a soft smile on her face.

"It's getting pretty late...or early...whatever! The point is that when should stop by your house for a change of clothes before we have to go to school."

Tori nodded and looked around the RV before picking up her pearphone. She pressed a button, illuminating the phone and frowned.

"It's already 5:37 a.m...and school starts at 7:00 a.m. I still need to blow dry my hair and get dressed and everything. We should go now."

Beck nodded, letting their hands drop and getting up.

"Let's go."

* * *

"You don't have to go in with me...in fact, you can go if you'd like. I could get to school just fine," said Tori as they pulled up in front of her house.

"Nonsense! We are going to the same place, aren't we? I don't mind driving you," he replied, turning his body in his seat to face her. Tori looked over at him and smiled, making Beck's heart pick up speed. He froze at the realization that the girl sitting besides him was able to make his heart race the way it did, He averted his eyes quickly, clearing his throat uncomfortably.

"Um... are you sure you're going to be okay? I mean, loosing your mom must-"

"Beck, I'm fine. Really." Tori placed her hand over him in a reassuring manner. Beck frowned. He was the one who was supposed to be comforting him, not the other way around.

They stayed like that for a while until Tori coughed, turning away from him.

"Right, well...I'll be back."

Beck nodded, heat flooding his cheeks uncharacteristically.

"Right. Of course."

And with that, Tori opened the door to the car, stepping out quickly before closing the door behind her. He watched silently as she walked swiftly towards her house. As soon as she stepped in, Beck groaned, dropping his head into his hands.

To say he was confused was the understatement of the century.

Beck lifted his head, rubbing his hands over his eyes. He was just sleepy. That was it. He hadn't slept in over 36 hours, and now he was feeling the effects. Of course.

All of a sudden, his phone vibrated under him and he jumped, bumping his head with the roof of his car.

"Damn it!" he muttered as he rubbed his head, taking his phone out of his back pocket.

Sliding his thumb over the screen, he punched in his password. His heart dropped when he saw the screen.

One new message.

It was 5:52 a.m. He knew the only person who could be texting him.  
He took a shaky breath, trying to calm himself. He opened up new text message.

From: Chris  
To: Beck

Yo,  
I have a new shipment for you. Come in tonight at 10:00.

Beck breathed in deeply, closing his eyes momentarily. It didn't matter if he thought Tori had a beautiful smile or not. He was not a good guy. Tori deserves someone who could take care of her, protect her. Not someone like him. He couldn't allow himself to fall for someone like her. Her life was already messed up as it is for him to be bringing more trouble it. He knew the life he had put himself in was a dangerous one. And he would never allow anyone to get hurt because of the choices he made.

He would make sure of it.

* * *

Hey everybody! Thank you soooo much for all your kind reviews. I appreciate it. And while I'm not writing this story simply to get reviews, I appreciate you guys taking the time to leave me a kind review. Thank you!


	9. Chapter 9

Heyy! Thanks for the reviews again. Now, there is one review I want to particularly address. It was a request for me to write a story using Tori and Zander, from How to Rock. While I appreciate that you think I'm a skilled writer, I don't think this is a very good idea. I haven't really watched How to Rock all that much, and I feel as if I wouldn't do the character Zander any justice if I attempted to write him. I'm sorry! :( I feel horrible now...

Now, on with the story!

* * *

Beck took a deep breath as he walked down the deserted street. Glancing down at his watch, he swore silently when he saw the time.

8:12

He knew that being even a minute late with these guys was dangerous, let alone twelve. Picking up his pace, he shoved his hands into his jacket pocket to keep them slightly warmer.

After a couple more minutes of walking in silence, he finally reached his destination. Looking up, he felt chills run down his spine as he stared at the dilapitated building. The windows were boarded up, and grafitti covered the dark brick walls. The building gave off an ominous, haunted vibe, effectively keeping away people.

Beck walked swiftly around the building, skillfully avoiding the broken glass bottles and filled garbage bags. Eventually he found the small opening near the bottom of the building that allowed access to the basement.

Squatting down, he examined the makeshift entrance briefly. He gripped the top of the hole as best as he could before sliding his lean body in feet first. He let go once he was in, landing on his feet with a thump. Wiping his hands on his dark jeans, he scanned the dark room quickly before finding the stairs and walking towards them.  
As soon as he made it up the wooden, creakity stairs and into the old "kitchen", he noticed about five tall men standing around, whispering furiously.

"You texted?" he asked out loud, drawing the attention of all the men in the room.  
Immediately they broke apart, leaving a single man leaning against the kitchen counter, completely at ease despite the tense situation. Marcus Smith.

"Aaah, Beck Oliver. How nice to see you again. How have you been?"

Beck shivered slightly under his jacket at the man's smooth, deep voice, but he kept his face smooth.

"Chris told me tha-"

"Yes, I know. I was the one who sent for you."

Beck frowned, looking around the room until he noticed Chris standing stifly near the broken down, dirty fridge. He sent him a confused look, but the young man simply shrugged, his icy blue eyes unreadable.

"Why me?" he asked, looking back at Marcus.

Marcus smiled, his perfect whilte teeth shining.

"Why, because you are one of the best. You've been here long enough now to know how the game works, and from what I've heard, you're pretty fearless. I like that."

Beck stared back into the cold dark eyes of Marcus before shrugging, running a hand nervously through his hair.

"Look, I'm flattered. Really, I am. Unfortunately, you got to me a couple of days late. I'm leaving the buisness."

Marcus arched an eyebrow in amusement, and from the corner of his eyes he could see Chris stiffen.

"Now, Beck. I'm sure we could come to an agreem-"

"There's nothing to discuss. I've already made up my mind."

The room got quiet, and Beck had never heard silence so loud. He swallowed thickly, his eyes never leaving Marcus, who was now staring back at Beck with a dangerous gleam in his eyes.

"Mr. Oliver... you of all people should know that one simply does not 'leave'... I always get what I want. And as of now, I want you."

With a motion of his hand, one of the guys standing near the boarded up window stepped forward. With blinding speed, he pulled back his fist and clocked Beck, sending him stumbling back a few steps.

Beck brought his hand to his throbbing eye, resisting the urge to yell out. Any sign of weakness in front of these guys would surely land him in the morgue with much worse than a black eye.

"Consider this a warning. Now, get out of my sight. We'll be in touch."

And with that, Beck turned on his heels and stalked out the door. His eye was throbbing, and he could barely see out of it. But he didn't stop to examine it. He slipped out the back door, making sure to close it tight behind him.

It was then he realized what Marcus had said.

"We'll be in touch." The words kept running through his head, maing Beck's heart beat faster.

No matter where he went, they were coming for him.

* * *

I know, I know. This chapter was pretty short. But juggling school and friends and family is extreemly hard, especially during the holidays. Especially i Brooklyn Technical High School. So my updates might come a teeensy bit slower. I don't think it'll come to that, but I wanted to give you guys a heads up in case it did. Thanks for your patience and support. Don't forget to review. Consider it a christmas present ;)


	10. Chapter 10

Beck held his breath as he crept silently around his mother's small, white painted house. He tried his best not to make ant unnecesary noises. Once around the house, he let out a breath of relief when he saw his RV. He was about to step up to his door when he noticed her.

She was leaning casually against his RV, right next to the door. And although it was dark out, the moonlight was bright enough to allow Beck to make out her features.

She was short, around 5 feet 3, with long curly red hair that she kept up with a butterfly pin. She was wearing her trademark blue jeans and cream colored button down. It would have looked pretty if it wasn't covered with a long, plain black apron. The woman was holding a lit up cigarete in her left hand, smoke billowing out from it's glowing orange tip.

"I thought you quit smoking," he said, not even bothering to ask why she was there.

Beck's mother looked over at him, and he could just make out her clear gray eyes staring back at him with dissapointment.

Crap.

"I though you quit selling drugs," she retorted, her voice full of sadness.

Beck sighed, walking over to his mother. He slid down against the RV, sitting down on the ground besides her. His mother did the same, ashes spilling out of her cigarete and falling to the ground.

"Why?" She asked calmly, turning her head to look at her son. Beck however couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes, and instead chose to stare at the rosebush behind his mother's house. The pure white roses contrasted strikingly against the dark green of the leaves and the warm brown of the stems. It all came together in beautiful harmony.

"You know why. Your wages don't cut it-"

"I'm doing just fine, thank you."

"And Michael isn't exactly the dependable type," he continued, ignoring his mother's comment. Waitressing at a local dinner is defenitely not going to bring in the dough, which is exactly what they needed.

"Your father is doing the best he-"

"Mom, just...stop. Don't you dare sit there and defend that low life son of a bi-"

"Beckett Christopher Oliver, don't you dare insult your father like that!" Her voice left no room for discussion, not that Beck wanted to continue their discussion. Instead, her finally turned his head to look at her, his brown eyes meeting are gray ones.

"Mom...I'm doing this for you."

His mother stayed silent for a second, and Beck's hear dropped to his stomach when he saw the tears running down her cheeks.

"Mom, oh god...please don't cr-"

Beck's mom surprised him leaning over, wrapping her arm around his waist in an awkward hug, given their position.

"Beck...I love you. You are the greatest son a mother could ask for, and your father is missing out on so much."

Beck stood frozen in shock for a couple of seconds before leaning over to return the hug.

"I love you to Mom."  
"Then please...please...stop dealing drugs. I...I don't know what I would do if I l-lost y-you too..."  
Beck squeezed his mom's waist reassuringly. Squeezing his eyes shut, he whispered,

"I-I-I promise..."

If only he could figure out a way to get out of his situation with Marcus, then everything would be fine


	11. Chapter 11

Tori frowned when the doorbell rang, inturrupting her from her lonely dinner. Setting down the book she had been reading besides her half full plate, she got up from the kitchen table and walked towards the door.

"Coming," she called out, reaching out to open the door.

When she opened it however, she found that it was not her father, as she was expecting. Instead, two serious looking men stood in front of her. They were both wearing suits, the man on the right a light gray one, and the man on the left a black one. The man on the right frowned when he saw her, his dark brown eyes staring at her curiously.

"May I help you?" Tori asked curiously.

Both men shared an uncomfortable look, and Tori couldn't help but fel nervous.

"Yes, you can." Said the man on tthe left as he reached into his jacket pocket. "I'm Special Agent Hallon, and this is my partner, Special Agent Anderson. We are here to investigate the death of Holly Marie Vega. Can we come in?" The man flashed her his badge, the porch light making it shine.

All the blood drained from Tori's face, and she swallowed the uncomfortable lump that had formed in her throat. She nodded feebly and stepped aside to let the two men in.  
The agents wasted no time in stepping in, and once they did they scanned the spacious living room.

"Is your father home?" Asked Agent Anderson, his voice cold.

Tori shook her head, unable to find her voice. Anderson frowned, and was about to say something when his partner said,

"How old are you?"

"17," she answered after a while. Then she added, "what do you want with my Dad?"

The agents exchanged yet another look.

"We're here to ask you're father a few questions. Do you know when he might be back?"

'If he's drunk enough, tomorrow,' she thought bitterly, but instead said, "I'm not quite sure... why do you want to ask him questions?"

Anderson frowned, his icy blue eyes glaring sharply at her.

"Young lady, that really is none of you're buissness. Tell you're father we'll be back."

And with that, he stalked out the door. Hallon shot her an apolegetic look before following his partner.  
Tori stood there for a moment, shocked, before walking slowly towards the couch. She sat down carefully, still not quite sure she wasn't dreaming.

She honestly had no clue where her father was. Ever since the new came two days ago about her...mother's death, he had started drinking more than ever before. Not even the fact that it was a wendsday stopped him from going to a bar the second he left work, leaving Tori only a message on the answering machiene.

Tori sighed, bringing her knees up to her chest. As much as she tried to think of other things, her mind wandered instead to her biggest worry. The bills.

It seemed to Tori that things couldn't get any worse. With their father takig their money to buy beer and bottles of wine and any other liquor his heart desired, they were left with very little money to pay for bills. Day after day, Tori got home to find yet another unpaid bill, or worse, a last notice letter. And day after day, it seemed as if her father couldn't care less. More than once, Tori had to sell a few of their valuable items in order to make ends meet.

Hot tears had begun to stream down her cheeks, and Tori swiped them away, ashamed at showing weakness. Taking a deep, calming breath, she got up from her spot in the couch. Anger now fueled her thoughts, her actions, and it made her reckless. With long, angry strides, she stalked off towards the kitchen, stopping in front of the fridge. Throwing it open, her eyes scanned the context of the fridge before spotting the source of all her problems.

Reaching in, she grabbed the cold bottle and brought it out. Her heart raced as she looked at the clear bottle, the dark brown liquid inside swishing around. Gripping the bottle tighter, she turned around and swung back, throwing it against the wall.

Adrenaline shot through her as she repeated the action with the other glass bottles filled with poison.  
She was so caught up in smashing the bottles, she didn't even hear the door open until a harsh, cold voice whipped at her.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Her father.


	12. Chapter 12

Hey everybody! Thanks for coming back! Look, I have got to be honest with you guys. I feel as if this story is getting too out of control and out of focus. From this point forward, I'm gonna attempt to be more direct. And yes, very, very soon, there will be bori. Please be patient with me. Thank you.

* * *

Tori locked eyes with her father, who was standing in the door way, his keys in his right hand and his jacket over his left arm. However, one look at him, and she knew he was not her dad. Not really.

His eyes had that glaze over look of someone who had had too many drinks. There was a slur to his voice, and his shirt was untucked messily, his tie loosened. Tori knew that if she had been closer to him, she would be able to smell the alcohol on his breath.  
Tori's father clenched his jaw, and with almost blinding speed, he stalked forward, stopping only when he was standing directly in front of Tori.

"Have you gone INSANE?!" He growled, and Tori winced as his spit landed on her face. All of her previous anger that had made her so bold vanished, leaving her terrified once more. However, she knew that she couldn't put up with one more day of her father's drinking.  
So, she squared her shoulders and, staring at her father right in the eye, she said,

"Nice of you to show up, dad. And here I thought you were getting drunk in some bar!"

Tori saw her father's jaw clench, and a he was standing so close that she could see a small vein pulsating on the side of his neck.

"Victoria Rebecca Vega, you will not stand here, in MY house, and disrespect me like that. Watch you-"

"Your house?!" She asked incredulously. She knew that she should calm down before she said something she would regret, but she didn't care. He was gonna hear what she had to say.

"You spend most of your time at some bar with your buddies, and when you are home, you're either passed out drunk or drinking yourself to oblivion!" When he didn't say anything, she continued. "You think that you can come in here now and try to tell me to respect you? Guess what, dad? You lost my respect years ago."

Tori saw her dad's eyes start to water, but she was on a roll.

"Admit it dad. Ever since mom left, you've avoided me like the plague. You left me, alone, when I most needed you."

"Tori.." he said warningly, his eyes flashing with anger. Tori knew she ws crossing the line, but she didn't care. She had passed caring a long time ago.

"You know what? I'm starting to think that maybe this is why mom left."

The statement hung there for a second, and Tori felt the temperature in the room drop. She had crossed a line. A big one.  
And then everything happened quickly. She could his left arm swing back, his hand clenched into a fist. But Tori was so sure he wouldn't hurt her - at least physically - that she didn't move. So the first thing she felt when his hand made contact with her face was shock. Her head rattled, and she fell to the ground. After the shock came the pain. It started right in her eye the stretched all the way to her brain. Involuntary tears sprung to her eyes, and she raised her hand to her face. Then she looked up.

She saw her father, standing absolutely frozen. He was staring at his still clenched fist in shock. The two of them stayed like that, frozen, until Tori's shock wore off. Swiftly, she got to her feet and ran up the stairs. She was vaguely aware of her father calling after her, but she ignored him. Instead, she slammed the door to her room shut. moving half mechanically, she looked around her room untill she found what she was looking for.

Opening up the duffel bag, she began shoving clothes in, making sure to take what was necessary. Her father started banging on her door, shouting her name. Whether he sounded remorseful or not, she wasn't sure, ut she didn't want toy stick around long enough to find out. Zipping up her duffel bag, she swiped away the tears that were falling from her eyes. A dull pounding had begun behind her injured eyes, but she couldn't stop to examine it. Instead, she turned to her open window.

Her room was on the second floor, but the height wasn't that bad. And she had jumped out her window countless times when she wanted to escape. So, making sure she had her phone in her pocket, she sat on her windowsill. Taking a deep breath, she turned to give her room one last, parting look. Then, she let go. Jumping down was simple. Once her feet hit the ground, she ran around towards the front of the house. Then, she ran.

Her feet pounding on the pavement were the only sounds she heard. At 12:30 in the morning on a Thursday, her neighborhood was deserted. She ran until her lungs couldn't take it.

She was running blindly, and she wanted to run, run, run, but her lungs felt as if they would burst any second. Finally, she had to stop.  
Bending forward, hands pressed against her thighs in an effort to remain upright, she panted wildly. Her heart was beating so fast that it caused her physical pain, but she ignored it. Running her hand through her knotted hair, she worked on getting her breathing under control. A lone tear escaped her eyes, but she swiped it away angrily. She refused to cry. Not out there, in the middle of no where.

With that thought, Tori looked up, startled. She hadn't payed attention to where she was going, but Tori had grew up in that neighborhood. She knew it like the palm of her hand. Looking around, she realized she was just outside Trasin Park. It was like the neighborhood's own little Central Park. Tall, sturdy trees made up most of the park, with the exception of a small lake somewhere near the north side of the park. A small waterfall made the lake a beautiful sight, and the whole thing made Tori feel relaxed.

However, it was past midnight already. And like all beautiful things, the park had a dark side to it. One that came out at night. Shady characters lurked around every tree, and Tori did not want to be caught in there.

She had three options. She could either keep walking the direction she was headed, which led to another, rougher neighborhood, or she could go back. Neither options appealed to her, which left her with on final option. Reaching into her back pocket, she took out her slim, blue pearphone. She knew she should call Cat, or Andre, or even Jade, who she had gotten much closer to since Jade started dating Andre. But instead, she scrolled past those names until she saw the one name that made her heart thump. Wether that was a god thing or a bad thing, she did not know. But as she pressed the okay button, she knew she had made the right choice.

Her eyes peered down at the screen and read the small box that she knew would appear.

"Call Beck Oliver  
Yes or No?"

* * *

I am soooooooo sorry for the late update! School had been insane, and it isn't getting easier. Esprcially now that midterms will be happening the next couple of days! Oh well... Update pleeeaase!


	13. Chapter 13

Beck's hands tightened painfully on the black steering wheel as he took in Tori's appearance.

Having stopped the car right in front of her, she was bathed in the glow of his headlights. Her long, wavy brown locks was wild and knotted, and it appeared as if she had once had it in a ponytail. But the purple rubber band was tied loosely around the end, as if it were about to fall off. She was wearing an old, light gray pair of sweatpants that hung low on her waist. Under a fitted pink cardigan, she had on a plain white t-shirt that clung to her skin. Her overall appearance was disheveled, and her brown eyes blinked back from light of his car. But it was not enough to hide the small purple ring around her right eye. A small cut had appeared right below her eye.

Beck took a deep, calming breath, trying to keep his anger in check. But it was hard. All he wanted to do was go kill the person who hurt Tori, even though he didn't know wh that was. Clenching his jaw, he watched silently as she walked slowly around. She opened the passenger door, and a rush of cold air entered the warm car.

"Hey," he said, keeping his eyes on her as she got in the car. She gave him a small smile, and she shut the car door.

"Hey."

Pursing his lips, he began slowly driving away from the park.

"Where too?" He asked, keeping his tone nonchalant. From the corner of his eye, he saw Tori shake her head quickly.

"I-I don't know..." Beck frowned, unsure of how to proceed. Furrowing his eyebrows, he said, "How about Cat's house? Maybe Jade's?" When Tori shook her head, he took a deep breath. His stomach churned, and although he didn't like his next idea, he knew it wasn't about him.

"I could take you to Andre's house?" He said through clenched teeth, and his hands tightened on the wheel.  
To his relief, Tori shook her head again, and he relaxed once more.

"No...he's dating Jade, remember... I don't think she would like me coming to her boyfriends house in the middle of the night..."

Although Beck knew why she would think that, he knew that Jade wouldn't be hostile towards Tori under the circumstances. He knew her pretty well, after all. It bothered him that Tori thought Jade was so cruel.

"Jade wouldn't deny you that...not under the circumstances. She is human, you know," he argued, and some of his disapproval towards her attitude leaked into his tone.

His quick glance towards her revealed that he had unintentionally hurt Tori's feelings. She had turned a deep shade of red, and he noticed how she kept biting her lip.

"I'm...sorry. I didn't mean to...after all, you two did date..."

Guilt flooded Beck, and he kept his eyes trained on the road. Of course, she would assume he still had feelings for Jade. He had sounded like a boyfriend when he defended her. For some reason, he felt the need to clear things up.

"It's not like that at all...it's true, Jade and I used to date, but now...she's like a sister to me. I understand her, and not many people do. We're still quite protective of each other, but I assure you we have moved on from each other."

"Oh."

Beck raised an eyebrow once she had said that word. He may have imagined it, but he was sure he heard...relief...in her voice.

What did that mean?

They drove in silence for a while, but finally he couldn't take it anymore.

"Who did that to you...to your face?"

Tori stayed silent for what seemed like an eternity, and he was sure she was going to remain silent, until she finally responded.

"My father."

Beck felt the blood drain from his face, and it took all he had to keep driving.

"W-what?"

"He was...quite drunk...he has never hit me...before," her voice cracked on the last word, and she began sobbing.  
Beck wasn't sure about what to do. Keeping one hand firmly on the wheel, he reached out with his right hand and placed it gently on her shoulder.

"I-I'm so sorry."

And then he let her cry it out, and cry she did. It wasn't until he was close to his destination that he noticed she had stopped crying.

"Where are we going?" She whispered, her voice raw.  
Beck glanced over at her quickly before replying.

"My house."

* * *

You see! I told you there would be some Bori fluff! Okay, there isn't much... okay, okay! It's very subtle... but I promise the next chapter will definitely bring some fluff! This is the part where you go and review what you thought...go on! What are you waiting for! Go and review!


	14. Chapter 14

Hello everyone! At last, the moment you have all been waiting for! This chapter has some MAJOR bori fluff! So now you can't complain! I'd like to take some time right now to give some shout-outs and answer some questions.

Livinthelife321: Yes, there WAS some slight bori fluff...if you look veeeeeeery closely. It was subtle, okay! Thanks for reviewing. Love your icon btw.  
hopefaith23: Gracias! You're very kind. :)  
FurryFriends143: Thank you! I try! Keep up you're amazing reviews!

Alrighty then! Before I go on, I'd like to point out that I do NOT own Victorious, or the characters (unless they're an OC) That goes for all past and future chapters as well.

Now, on with the story!

* * *

"Welcome to case de Beck!" Exclaimed Beck as he entered his RV, turning on the light as he did. Tori followed him, her eyes roaming the small room she was now used to. Smiling anxiously, she said "didn't I tell you already? Leave the spanish to me buddy."

Beck let out a laugh, and he threw himself onto his bed. Tori smiled a bit wider, and she sat carefully on the edge of his bed.

"Beck," she began, and he sighed, knowing what she was going to say. "I can't burden you like this! Plus, what will your mom say!?"

"My mom would have skinned me alive if I'd let you stay on the streets. As for you being a burden, you're not. I honestly don't mind letting you stay here a couple of days."

Tori still looked unsure, but before she could protest any more, Beck attacked her.

"TICKLE ATTACK!" He yelled as he grabbed her around her waist. With a loud squeal,Tori started laughing wildly, flailing her limbs around as Beck continued to tickle her mercilessly.

"Be-Beck...ha ha...n-n-o!...pl-please...hahaha!"

"Still think you're a burden?" He asked. Tori shook her head wildly, laughing loudly.

Finally, Beck released her, and he fell back onto the bed, trying to catch his breath. Tori let out the last of her giggles, then layed down besides him.

"Don't do that ever again!" She warned, swatting his stomach playfully. Beck snorted, rolling his eyes as he turned around to face Tori. He was about to say something when his gaze landed on her left eye.

Her eye had turned a nasty purple, and he noticed that it was slightly swollen. His hands clenched into fists and he breathed in deeply.  
Tori, noticing his mood change, frowned until she realized what had caused his sudden anger. Sighing deeply, she reached out and grabbed his right hand, gently massaging it until he relaxed once more.

They stayed like that for a while, Beck propped up be his elbow and Tori laying down besides him, looking up at him while holding his hand.

Finally, Beck sighed, his anger gone and replaced by concern. Pulling his hand away from her grasp, he placed it gently on her cheek, surprising Tori. She stiffened for a second, but then leaned her head into his hand. Slowly, he traced random patters on her cheek with his thumb, leaving behind a burning trail. Once in a while, he lingered on her bruise, caressing it slowly.

Tori closed her eyes. "Beck," she whispered, and he suddenly stopped, leaving his hand cradling her cheek. She opened her eyes to find Beck's warm, chocolate brown eyes sending her a pleading look.

"Tori," he whispered back, "stop this now. I can't take advantage of you like this...I can't guarantee I'll be able to stop myself.."

Tori stared at him, and realization dawned on her. 'He's leaving it up to me,' she thought. 'He thinks I don't want to be with him...' For some reason, that made her stomach twist and turn, and her heart flutter in her chest, elated. Smiling softly, she couldn't bite back the small giggle that escaped her.

"You're laughing," he accused, frowning. Tori instantly sobered at the hurt look in his eyes, and she quickly explained herself.

"It's just that...with Sammy, I didnt have a choice...I never did. And now here you are, making my heart race, and you're leaving it up to me. Beck...I don't know how I've never realized it before tonight...but I...I think I kinda love you. And I don't want to stop."

Beck stared at her for a moment, shocked, before breaking out into a grin. Resting his forehead against her, placing his hand just below the back of her head, he whispered, "that's a coincidence...'cause I think I kinda love you too."

And then he kissed her, and it was everything she imagined it to be and more. His lips were soft, yet he still brought a steadiness to the kiss. And to him, she tasted like blue cotton candy and vanilla frosting (the homemade kind) and she even tasted like pineapples.

Tori ran her hand through his hair, and she pulled him close to her, and he wove his free hand around her waist. To her, he smelled like cinnamon and Irish Mountain soap and a distinctive woodsy smell that made her toes curl. She leaned into him, and she was grateful that they were already laying down. Her heart was hammering and her brain was slowly melting and her stomach was doing somersaults.

"Tori.." Beck whispered, pulling away slightly. Looking down at her, he raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about this?"  
Tori smiled, nodding her head.

"More than sure."

* * *

Beck awoke with a start as he heard his phone vibrate. Rubbing his eyes, he groaned and stretched out before looking down. A smile spread across his face as his gaze landed on a sleeping Tori. Her hair was splayed around her face, and she looked peaceful in her sleep.

"My God do I love you," he whispered, shaking his head.

Laying back down, he reached down to the floor without looking, fumbling around for his phone. Finally he felt the slim phone and brought it up, sliding his thumb across the screen to unlock it.  
His heart plummeted when he read the new text.

From: Marcus  
Meet me in the clearing in 20 minutes. Don't be late

Beck groaned, dropping the phone back to the floor. He was expecting this, however. Marcus doesn't let anyone leave the business without punishment.

And he was about to get his punishment.

* * *

Hello! I'm sorry this chapter came out a little...bleh, but the first time I wrote it, my tablet froze and erased the whole thing! So it's not as good as it could have been, but I promise I'll try harder next time! Review please! Oh, and if you haven't already, go ahead and check out my other story, Beauty and the Beast, and my one-shot, 4:07. I'd reeeally apreciate it. :)


	15. Chapter 15

Beck took a deep, shudering breath as he aproached the group of men standing in the middle of the clearing, waiting for him.  
A pang of guilt washed over him as he thought of the beautiful, oblivious Tori still sleeping on his bed. But he knew that if he was going to have any kind of future with her, he had to do this.

"I'm here," he called out to the group, and they parted to reveal Marcus.

"So you are..." he said smoothly, looking at Beck with a mixture of anger and disapointment.

"You know, it's not to late to reconsider this decision. We could use someone with your abilities. I don't particularly like letting go of some of my best workers."

Beck shook his head, staring right into Marcus' eyes. He needed no time to reconsider. He made his choice, and he intended to stick by it, no matter the consequence.

Marcus sighed, clearly disapinted.

"Well then, if you insist on leaving, I have no other choice. I have to send a message to all of my other...employees. You don't just leave the buisness. The only reason you're getting of so easy is because I kind of liked you. Otherwise, you'd be dead."

And with that, Marcus gabe the guy next to him a slight nod, who then sent a signal to all the other guys. Dread washed over him as he realized what they were going to do to him. Breathing deeply, he closed his eyes and braced himself.

The first punch came to his stomach. Beck felt as if a sack of bricks had been swung at him, and doubled over in pain. The next one landed on his face, and blood gushed from a newly formed gash on his lower lip. The third hit was a punch to the side, and he let out a groan.

Then, the real pain started. Punches rained down on him from all over, and he fell to his knees. That was when the kicks started. He felt a steel-toed boot kick him in the ribs, and he thought he heard a crack.  
Beck knew better than to cry out. No, he would give no one that satisfaction. Instead, he suffered in silence as the hits came down harder.

It seemed like hours until the blows finally stopped coming, and he took that silent moment to assess his injuries.

One eyes were swollen shut, and his ribs were on fire. His bottom lip was cut, and he was beeding heavily from a gash on his leg. His head was pounding, but one word kept him from slipping into unconsiousness. Tori.

"Thank you for serving as a lesson for the others, and thank you for all your help. I hope things work well for you and that girl...Victoria, isn't it? Or does she go by Tori?"

And with that, he left, taking his goons with him. Panic washed over him, and although he knew Marcus wouldn't hurt Tori anymore-since he was no longer working for him-he hated the fact that he knew about her.

Beck groaned, breathing in slowly through his nose. His jaw hurt like crazy. In fact, his whole body hurt him. But slowly, he got unsteadily, he started walking home, to Tori. He wanted to be there before she woke up so she wouldn't assume the worst. Even in it means he died from the pain, he would get to her.


	16. Chapter 16

Tori groaned, stretching out on the bed. Blinking her eyes open, she slowly sat up and repressed a yawn as she took in her surroundings. Memories from the previous night slammed into her mind like a freight train, and her heart dropped to her stomach as she realized what was missing.

"Beck?" she called out, although she knew he wasn't there.

Tori shivered slightly as cold air brushed past by her bare back unexplainably, seeing as none of the windows were open-they were bullet proof, after all. Pulling the pale blue sheets around her bare body, she slowly got up from the bed, heat flooding to her face. She couldn't believe how Beck had simply left her there and disappeared, without even a note to explain his absence. Her stomach churned as she hastily pulled on her discarded clothes. She felt used, dirty. A part of her knew that Beck would never use her, that there MUST be some kind of explanation for his disappearance. But irrational anger felt much, much better over the fear and worry that was creeping into her mind.

When she finished lacing up her sneaker, she stood up from the bed and, shoving her arms into the arm holes of her pink sweater. Walking to the door, she took a deep breath before swinging the door open. But the sight that greeted her made her stomach churn, and she released a strangled gasp.

"Beck?!" She choked out, because she couldn't believe her eyes. Just seconds ago she had wished Beck were there, but now she wished he wasn't.

Standing before her stood a broken, beaten ghost of the Beck she knew. He was leaning against the door frame as if he couldn't hold himself upright, she he was clutching his side. His right eye was swollen shut, and his bottom lip was split open, turning slightly purple around the open gash. His hair was knotted and streaked with dirt, and his skin was covered in a thin layer of sweat.

"Hey babe...missed me?" he said grogily, and Tori got the distinct impression that he was about to pass out.

"Beck...oh my, come here!" she exclaimed, reaching out to grab a hold of him. She eventually managed to bring him to the bed, where he collapsed in a broken heap.

"Who did this to you?!" She asked, her voice borderline hysterical. Beck shook his head slowly, grunting as he turned to look at her. He patted the empty spot next to him, signaling for Tori to sit down next to him. Tori obliged, and once next to him, she grabbed a hold of his hand, bringing it up to her lips. Beck smiled softly, then groaned, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Oh Beck," whispered Tori, stroking his cheek gently. She started to get up when Beck's eyes flew open, reaching out to stop her.

"No, don't go!" He said, bringing Tori back down.

"We need to get you to a hospital!" She exclaimed. Much to her horror, he shook his head.

"No, no hospitol...I'll be...fine..." he said, and he shot her a reassuring smile. Tori shook her head quickly, disbelief flooding through her.

"Beck...you can barely lift a muscle without crying out in pain. You are definitely NOT fine!"

Beck glared at her, and finally he sighed, reaching out to grab his hand once more.

"Please...just...don't go...I-I have to...protect you."

Tori frowned, not sure if he was serious or simply confused from the pain.

"Protect me from what?" She asked, stroking his arm soothingly. Beck breathed deeply, and he closed his eyes again slowly.

"From Marcus," he whispered sleepily. Tori wanted to push him further, but she realized that he had already drifted off to sleep. Swallowing painfully, she brushed away the tears that had escaped from her eyes. She hated to see him in pain. If she could, she would have taken in all of his cuts and bruises. But instead, she took this time to survey his injuries.

She already knew he had a swollen lip and a black eye. He had a bunch of small, shallow cuts scattered across his arms and face. She scanned his body from her spot besides him, noticing his sliced, bloody knee and elbows. Carefully, she lifted up his shirt and almost vomited on the spot. She saw a long, deep cut that started on his stomach and wound his way around to his back. It had appeared to stop bleeding, but Tori couldn't be sure of how much blood he had already lost. Not to mention the dirt matted in with the dry blood near the gash, blowing the chances of an infection through the roof.

Fear struck Tori, and she found it hard to breathe. She couldn't lose Beck. Placing a hand gently on his forehead, she gasped when she realized how hot he was. She couldn't believe how she hadn't noticed it before.  
She knew she had to get him to a hospital. Carefully, as to not wake him, she removed his hand from hers. Then, she turned around and nearly sprinted out of the RV. She needed to get help, an fast...she needed to get Beck's mom.

* * *

I know this isn't my best work, but I've been really stressed lately. But I PROMISE the next chapter will be AMAZING! Just, stick with me for a bit. This story is really close to ending. I'm thinking about doing a sequel, but I'm not sure if you guys would want one, so let me know your thoughts. Also, as of now, I am now taking story request, so if you really want me to write a certain story, let me now and I'll try to write it. No promises though. See you next chapter! Don't forget to review please!


	17. Chapter 17

Tori closed her eyes as she brought the white styrofoam cup to her lips. Tilting her head back, she winced slightly as the bitter, cheap black coffee rushed into her moth, burning her throat in the process. But she had already gotten used to the bitter taste after her fourth cup of the horrible coffee in the hour and a half she had been in the hospital.  
When the last drops left the cup, she groaned in frustration. As much as she needed the caffeine, she knew she wasn't going to get it from drinking coffee from a hospital. In a fit of anger, she threw th cup to the floor, where it skidded a few feet away from her. Dropping her head into her hands, she clenched her jaw in an effort to remain calm.

"Tori! Guys, she's over here!"

Surprised, she looked up to see a flash of familiar brown dread locks, and she sighed, relieved to finally see someone familiar.  
Andre approached her quickly, worry clear on his face. Besides him was Jade, who wore a similar look of concern and worry. Cat and Robbie were trailing behind them.

Their questions came at her like fireballs, quick and endless.

"Is Beck okay?"

"What happened?"

"Where's Mrs. Oliver?"

"Are you okay?"

Tori held her hands up, palms facing them, effectively ending their questions. Taking a deep breath, she started answering them one by one.

"Beck is fine. Or, at least he will be. The doctor says he has two broken ribs, a sprained ankle, a broken nose and he has deep muscle bruising in his left leg. And he needed stitches for a gash on his stomach. They gave him some pain medication, so now he's sleeping it off. Mrs. Oliver went to pick up a prescription for some pain killers for Beck. She'll be back soon. And before you ask, I have no idea what happened. He simply came into the RV this morning looking like he was run over or something."

Each and every single one of their faces relaxed a bit, and Tori knew the feeling. She had spent and hour waiting to hear what the doctors had to say. Although she knew Beck was seriously hurt, she thanked God he wasn't hurt worse.

Suddenly, Andre's eyes narrowed, and he raised an eyebrow at Tori.

"Wait a minute...why were you in Beck's RV so early? Is there something I missed?"

Jade raised an eyebrow towards Tori, a smirk playing on her features.

Tori sighed, running her hand through her limp hair. She hadn't realized how long it had been since she had talked to her friends, and she missed them. A lot.

"I kinda...ran...away..."

"WHAT!"

Jade and Andre exchanged a look, then looked at Tori for an explanation. Robbie and Cat looked shocked and very confused.  
Tori sighed, sinking down to sit on one of the hard blue plastic chairs. With eyes closed, she explained the whole story to her friends, omitting the part about Beck and her having sex. Her friends definitely did NOT need to know that.

By the time she was finished, Andre had sat down on the chair next to her and had wrapped his arm around her. He wiped away a stray tear that she didn't realize had fallen from her eye.

Jade was uncharacteristically quiet, and she seemed to be at war with herself. Several times, Tori looked up as she was telling her story to find Jade's icy blue eyes staring down at her intently.

Tori was not the only one to notice, however. Andre seemed to throw Jade many confused glances. When Tori finally finished her story, Jade decided to say something.

"Andre, I think you should go take Cat and Robbie to the cafeteria downstairs."  
Andre's brow furrowed in confusion, but he got up and did as he was asked.

When he finally left with Cat and Robbie, Jade sat down next to Tori, her intense blue eyes probing.

"Tori...you and Beck are going out now, right?"

Tori's eyes widened in surprise, and all she could do was nod truthfully.

"And he told you he loved you...right?"

Again, shock made Tori answer truthfully. A bad feeling began growing in the pit of her stomach, and she took a deep breath.

"Beck seems to care about you a lot...and if you ever repeat what I'm about to tell you I will destroy that pretty little face of yours...I think that you would be good for Beck. He needs someone like you in his life. But I promise you...ifyou EVER hurt him, I will inflict double the pain on your ass. Are you clear?"

Jade glared at Tori until she nodded, indicating she had understood what she was just told. Satisfied, Jade gave Tori a small smile before frowning once more.

"I think there's something you should know about Beck."

* * *

Tori stood outside Beck's door, a wave of conflicting emotions washing over her. Her conversation with Jade was still fresh in her mind, and she had no idea what to do with the new information she had just acquired. But she knew one thing: she had to see Beck. And so, taking a deep, shaky breath, she opened the door to his room.

The sight before her made her want to cry. Beck was laying on the uncomfortable looking hospital bed, a white sheet thrown over his legs. His usually tan skin looked slightly pale under the painfully bright white light, and she could see every scrape and cut on his skin. Dark purple bags hung under his eyes, and he winced slightly as he adjusted himself on his bed. However, despite all that, he was still Beck, so when she smiled at him, her heart fluttered in her chest.

"Tori!" he croaked, his previously dull eyes brightening at her arrival. Tori's heart clenched as she remembered her conversation with Jade. Shooting him a weak smile, she walked up to his bed and stood besides him, staring down helplessly at him. He reached out and took her hand in his, giving her a gently squeeze.

"Are you mad that we brought you here?" She asked anxiously, pushing her hair back behind her ear. Beck frowned, bringing her hand up to his mouth and kissing it gently.

"No...not anymore. I get why you did it."

They stood there in silence until Tori finally spoke.

"Beck, we need to talk."

Beck's eyes widened, and the heart monitor he was hooked up to began beeping loudly.  
"Are you...rethinking things? rethinking us?" Beck's warm brown eyes clouded with misery, and Tori rushed to reassure him.

"No! No, of course not! I do love you!"

Beck's heartbeat monitor immediately slowed, and he sighed a breath of relief.

"I love you Tori," he whispered, clinging to her hand. It was almost enough to make Tori want to forget what a Jade had told her and just sit by Beck, waiting until he was better so she could melt into his arms and stay there forever.

But she knew that she had to know the truth. Otherwise, the fear of not knowing would drive her insane. She needed to know.

"The gang is here," she said, opting to go with the less confrontational approach. Beck groaned, throwing his head back against the pillow.

"Ugh, why did they come! I'm fine! Just a little banged up, nothing life threatening!"

Tori rolled her eyes, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Beck, you are NOT fine. And they were worried about you! You can't blame them for wanting to be here for you!"  
Beck glared back at her, releasing his hold on her hand to cross his arms across his chest.

"I told you I didn't want to come here! I would've been fine at home!"  
They both glared at each other, neither one backing down.

"I had a nice conversation with Jade today...I learned a lot from her."

Beck's glare melted into a look of confusion. She could almost see the gears turning in his head as he thought about the meaning of her words. Finally, understanding dawned on his features.

"She told you..." he said, the horror in hi voice confirming her worst fears.

"So it's true," she whispered, more to herself than to Beck. Beck swallowed, his eyes pleading with her.

"Tori, listen-"

"Why didn't you tell me? So what, it's okay for me to pour my heart out to you, to tell you my biggest secrets, but you get to choose what you tell me?"

Beck stayed silent, staring down at his hands. A mixture of fear and anger coursed through her, and she glared at him.

"Do you know you could've gotten yourself killed out there?! And for what, so you can sell some freaking drugs?" She whispered that last part, wanting no one to overhear her. "Is that why you left last night? Are your precious drug dealers more important than me?"

Beck's eyes flashed with anger, and he lifted his gaze to stare at her intently.

"Is that what you think?" He asked, his voice calm despite his clenched fists. Tori glared back at him refusing to back down.

"What else can I think Beck! I had to learn about this from someone else! You are so selfish that you are willing to risk your life to get some cash after I told you I loved you! Do you have ANY idea what I would have done if you would've died tonight?" The tears were flowing freely, and she couldn't hold back the sob that escaped her lips. Covering her face with her hands, she sank down into one of the green vinyl chairs in the corner of the room. She waited for Beck to yell back at her, but instead, he stayed silent.

"I'm sorry," he finally whispered, and Tori looked up in surprise. Beck was staring at her, his eyes filled with misery. Tori swallowed, giving him a confused look.

"Tori...you are the most important thing in my life, along with my mom. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry. When I left this morning, it was to let my boss know I was leaving the business for good. That's why he ordered his goons to jump me. I'm so sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry."

Tori just sat there, shocked, until his words finally sunk in. Finally, she git up from her chair and walked towards Beck. Sitting next to him on his bed, she looked into his chocolate eyes for a moment before leaning over and kissing him.

It was just like she remembered it and more. However, unlike their kisses from the previous night, this one was soft, gentle. Beck placed his hands on either side of her face, cradling her face gently She deepened the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck.  
Finally, she fulled back, and she noticed his heart monitor went back to a slow, steady beeping. Smiling gently, she grabbed his hand and laced her fingers through his.

"Beck, I love you. With all my heart I love you. You keep me going when I just want to fall apart. You give me a reason to keep on fighting. I'll always love you, even if you didn't love ne. Just promise me you'll never go back to sellng drugs again."

Beck nodded, reaching over to wrap Tori in his arms, despite their uncomortable position and despite the searing pain that shot through his abdomen.

"Tori, I promise I won't go back there. And I pomise you I'll never leave you. You're the best that's ever been mine," he joked, quoting the popular country singer's song. Tori laughed, pulling back from the hug.

Beck layed back down, his the pain in his abdomn finally receeding. Smiling softly, he suddenly smirked as a thought ran through his head.

"And to think it all started off as a project. One we'll probably fail."

He laughed at Tori's confused look.

"The deadline was two days ago."

* * *

Fin!

Wooooow! I did not expect that to be the last chapter! I was going to do maybe two or three more chapters before ending it. But this happened. Wow...well this is fine anyways. I left some questions unanswered because I decided to do a sequel. And while this story had only minor fluff, I can PROMISE you that the sequel will have five times the fluff, and five times the drama. I was thinking about bringing in some old characters, like Sammy (Tori's jerk of an ex boyfriend) and Tori's dad, as well as some new characters, like Beck's dad. I will also be including the rest of the gang much more next time.

I just wanted to thank all of you guys for reading this story, and my loyal fans for sticking with this story till the end. It was you guys who motivated me to keep going when I just wanted to call it quits. Thank you for you amazing reviews! Don't forget to review this chapter as well!

In case anyone is interested, I started an account on wattpad where I'll start posting a brand new story with characters of my own. It will be about an arrogant, self centered guy who is used to having every girl fall for his good looks. But then he meets his beautiful new psychology partner, who just happens to be blind! The story will have much humor and drama and loooooveeee. Check it out. I'll post my account on my profile pretty soon.

Thanks again you guys.

-Pineapplebuddy19


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